Justice Minister Ruttaphol led the first meeting to resolve the oil hoarding case, reaffirming that oil has definitely gone missing. He ordered an investigation into how many ships were used for the 96 trips, expecting to clarify within 1-2 days whether the missing volume exceeds 57 million liters, and confirmed efforts to expedite the process as much as possible.
At 09:30 on 6 April 2026 GMT+7. Police Lieutenant General Ruttaphol Naowarat, Minister of Justice. He convened the investigative team. To resolve the oil hoarding case, first meeting. At the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to follow up on progress and review inspection reports. Before the meeting, Police Lieutenant General Ruttaphol said today he was here to review preparations and monitor progress based on data collected by the DSI Director-General. A war room has been established. He said he needs to review the abnormal oil volume statistics and prepare the information properly. He expects action on 7 April. On 5 April, the Surathani provincial commerce office filed a complaint with police to prosecute an oil hoarding company. He is aware of this, and if the case is registered as a special case, they will fully proceed with investigations.
At 11:00, the Minister of Justice revealed after the investigative meeting on the oil hoarding case that he came to hear reports from the DSI Director-General and the investigative team on actions taken. The information comes from multiple agencies including Excise Department, Department of Energy Business, and Department of Land Transport, providing extensive data. The DSI Director-General explained the operational framework. After hearing the results, he found them satisfactory and emphasized accelerating the process. Although DSI does not work on weekends, they have been collecting data for today's analysis. Legal proceedings remain the responsibility of the DSI.
Police Lieutenant General Ruttaphol added he attended to gather progress updates to coordinate information. If the DSI lacks any investigative elements, they will assist in finding them. Regarding designation as a special case, it is still under investigation. A meeting of the Special Case Committee board, including experts, has been scheduled but the date will be announced later. For now, preliminary investigations continue.
The DSI Director-General has set a work timeline, but daily progress will be checked and plans adjusted accordingly. Regarding the complaint filed by the Surathani commerce office with police, the information was reviewed and discussed today. If wrongdoing is found, all related cases will be consolidated as special cases to ensure uniform handling.
. . On clarifying the missing oil volume, Police Lieutenant General Ruttaphol said officials need to gather clear data for a thorough analysis because the figures are large. The previous data announced on 3 April 2026 is preliminary. Additional data collection is ongoing. Regarding the reported 57 million liters of missing oil at sea, it is unclear if this amount will increase. Officials will collect daily updates. Clarity is required to avoid errors, and he expects clear results within 1-2 days.
Police Lieutenant General Ruttaphol further stated they have confirmed wrongdoing and that oil has gone missing for certain. Whether the amount is 57, 58, or 59 million liters is not yet confirmed. He advised against premature conclusions. While it is certain oil is missing as reported, the exact volume requires further work by the DSI Director-General and officials. The investigation into the destination of the missing oil is ongoing, with support from the Center for the Protection of National Maritime Interests (CPNMI). All details must be fully compiled first. He also ordered an investigation into the number of ships used for the 96 oil transport trips, as some ships may have made multiple trips. They are intensifying enforcement efforts.
Regarding P.C. Siam Petroleum Co., Ltd.'s statement denying oil hoarding and asserting compliance with procedures, the DSI will decide whether to summon the company for factual clarification. The case is currently under investigation, and evidence is being collected. Whether questioning will take place in Surathani or at the DSI will be discussed. The company’s explanation will be heard, but evidence and legal considerations will be carefully reviewed.